Why Konoha?
by Akira Darely
Summary: Temari always finds herself going back to Konoha and for the life of her can't figure out why. Can one simple conversation with a certain boy help her figure that out?


**I'm sorry! I just can't focus on any of my stories at the moment. Sorry guys, but you'll just have to sit tight and wait for me to get an idea for them… Well, more like, get the urge to finish writing them… I have an issue with finishing things, and it takes a lot of effort. But here we go! My first Naruto story! Heehee. It is just a one shot for now, and I hope you like it.**

**PS- I haven't seen all the Naruto episodes, only 100 or so… So if something isn't all that right, I'm sorry! So please don't get angry and flame me! (One of my friends got flamed really badly when he wrote a Dramione, and it wasn't "accurately correct"… It freaked both him and I out, and let's just say… it wasn't pretty…) so please no flames or anything of the sort!**

**Pairing: Temari/Shikamaru**

**Point of View: Temari**

**Period of Time: It's in between the Chuniin exams and when Temari saves Shikamaru's ass from the creep from Sound Five... Just thought I should clear that up! ;P ... Though I do realize that does bring out a small problem about the fact that I already wrote Gaara as the Kazekage... I always knew it was going to happen because of other fanfictions I read, I was just unaware of when exactly... So sorry for the mistake, I hope you can overlook it!**

I looked at the barren land around me, surprisingly finding great comfort in the hot arid endless sand that surrounded me. It was something that I had grown up living in, and I don't think I'd have it any other way… But I couldn't help but remember the pulling sensation that almost wanted me to return to Konoha. I could never figure out what it was, which always kept my mind on the hidden leaf village. I didn't know what it was about this interesting village so unlike my own that kept me jumping out for any mission that took me close to the place the chuunin exams had been held.

Was it the fact that Gaara first told Kankuro and I that he was sorry there? Was it that Naruto beat Gaara when Shukaku had completely taken over? No. None of those things make sense in my mind. Why should something so trivial make me want to return to Konoha?

I shook my head, clearing the thoughts from my mind as I looked to my brothers.

"Let's go, Kankuro. Gaara."

The two nodded, as one of Gaara's special guards followed behind us, letting me take the lead of this mission that took us to the heart of Konoha, the one thing that my heart seemed to leap at besides Gaara's growing patience and control of Shukaku.

It was amazing how far this boy had come to control his inner demon, even use the chakra, which Gaara had never been able to do before. He had even learned how to control the thoughts that raged through his head. But best of all, he learned not to doubt Kankuro and my care for him. He had grown so much since his fight with Naruto, and I had much to thank him for.

I looked to my left and right as we neared the Konoha village, and I found myself growing a little nervous. I found ninja appearing on all sides. How could I have been so careless? Was there something I had not noticed?

Taking a closer look at the people to my right and left, I recognized them from the chuunin exam, and I cam to a halt.

"We do not wish to harm you, or any one else here. We are merely here for the new Kazekage to meet your Hokage so they can discuss things of peace. I give you my word."

Bowing low, I lowered my head to show that I meant no harm, but found myself shocked when a voice I knew very well spoke up.

"Peace better be all you want because we all know your weaknesses, and you know that I can take you down easy."

My gaze looked straight ahead, as my eyes locked with the man who brought me down all those months ago. My heart began to beat faster, and my stomach felt as if it could no longer hold the little food I had eaten only a mere hour ago.

"Yes. Peace is all we want."

I tried to give him a smirk as he walked towards me.

"Good to know. I'm glad that I won't have to waste any energy, but know this… If you are lying, I have the next 200 moves that you could pull planned out."

A shiver went down my back, and I found myself suddenly very glad that we were only here for Gaara to meet with the Hokage. This boy was much, much smarter than myself, and that was hard to come across. He was a very thrilling opponent, the only person besides Gaara who had ever challenged me.

"We are, take my word."

I watched as he gave me a lazy half smirk.

"And why would I take the word of someone who I could easily call my enemy."

I nodded my head in understanding.

"You're right. You shouldn't trust us, but the again, we do need Gaara to talk to the Hokage."

I smiled at his shock, glad that I had taken him off guard for once, instead of him shocking me, but his surprised face was only there for a second before calming down.

"I see, follow me then."

I nodded, smiling all the way to the village in silence.

As we entered the village's big walls, I was shocked when we came across a blondie and strange pink-headed girl yelling at each other about… about Rock Lee? Who was that? Hadn't I observed the two obsessed with the slightly creepy Sasuke who had caused so much trouble? Or was that just a fad or something.

"YOU'RE GIVING HIM THE WRONG IMPRESSION, FOREHEAD!"

I raised an eyebrow at the blonde's nickname for the pink-headed girl, but paid no mind to them the second I heard his lazy drawl.

"This is such a drag."

I shook my head, remembering our fight all those many months ago. He was so lazy. I just didn't understand what it was that made him like that, but also made him so smart. It really didn't make sense in my mind how someone could have something like that mixed together, but whatever.

As we neared the Hokage's office, I smiled as Gaara stepped proudly into the room. He had come a long way since Naruto had fought him.

No longer were there disappearances in Suna. Neither did we have people running away from him, calling him a freak, and shivering in fear. He had begun to work with the elders of Suna. He helped out at Suna Academy. Though there were many people who hated the idea of him being Kazekage, there were many people who supported him, realizing that he was indeed the strongest person who could take care of our broken home.

I was about to follow him, when Gaara turned to stop me.

"No, Temari. You stay here. Kankuro will come with us. I want you to stay out here."

I hesitated before nodding in understanding. Taking a sitting post outside of the fifth Hokage's room, I was startled by the last drawl.

"So how have you been, fan-girl?"

I turned my head and raised an eyebrow.

"Humph. I'm surprised you're even talking shadow-boy."

I fought a smile as he shook his head.

"Troublesome girl. This is why women are so irritating. I merely try and make some conversation with you, and you go and make some sarcastic comment."

I watched as he leaned back against the wall, hitting a pose that seemed very like the lazy boy.

"This is such a drag… I now have to wait for this meeting to be over to tell the Hokage about the mission."

I chuckled slightly at his words. He was a very different from the guys that I spent my time with. Kankuro was always making jokes, loving to be sarcastic and loud. Gaara was silent and always seemed to be brooding about his duties. Though he had changed, he wasn't someone that I could really hold an interesting conversation with, most things I said just confused the poor boy. But don't even get me started on the other men that surrounded me at Suna… they were so crude and brash, you would think that I were some sort of plaything of theirs.

"Well then Shadow boy. It seems that the two of us are in the same predicament."

He gave me a lazy half smile making my heart flutter just a bit.

"It seems we are… Shikamaru, by the way."

I raised an eyebrow.

"My name, you troublesome woman, is Shikamaru."

I smiled.

"I wouldn't forget you Shikamaru. I did fight against you in the Chuunin exam, and you are one of the few people, if not the only one, who has ever beaten me…. I wouldn't forget someone like that."

"Well, well, Temari… I wouldn't have expected a compliment such as that to come from you, or perhaps someone doesn't get challenged enough. How about we play a game of Shogi while we wait for them to finish."

The edges of my mouth flickered up, as I looked hard at the man- boy? Standing next to me.

"I would agree, but I won't for two reasons. One. You would beat me no doubt about it. Two. I have to make sure that my little brother stays safe. I love him too much to ever think about leaving him in any sort of danger."

I watched as Shikamaru nodded understandingly.

"I see. You don't completely trust the Hidden Leaf village yet, do you?"

I shrugged my shoulders.

"I do, but I'm not giving up my guard just yet."

I found myself giving an uncommon smile as our conversation drifted from the topic of my trust to anything and everything else. It was something that I wasn't used to. Normally when I spoke to men and women alike, I found that they always seemed to speak of their likes and dislikes. Shikamaru however was different. We seemed to start on something like that, and end up getting into some sort of debate about the politics of other villages as well as our own, what we thought about blood line limits, and other things.

As the time passed, I was so confused why I was so talkative and hadn't begun yelling at him to shut up, but I was even more confused and surprised by the fact that the lazy man who I would never had expected to speak this much, kept the conversation going.

But that didn't keep me from still talking to him, telling him my ideas about what had happened to Sasuke, and my thoughts of what the old devil had wanted with him. However, my thoughts were interrupted by the opening of the Fifth Hokage's door and I turned to watch my brothers, and one of our special guards walk out.

"Temari. Come. We have finished our business here."

I jumped up from my seat on the floor and was about to follow Gaara before I turned around to wave at Shikamaru.

"Bye Shadow boy! Maybe we will run into each other again sometime."

I watched with happiness as he gave me a lazy smile.

"Yeah, maybe we will, you troublesome girl."

I chuckled again, before turning to walk out of the Konoha with my brothers, and we were almost out of the gates before I heard Kankuro's voice speak out.

"Well, well, well… I guess we know why you always sign us up for missions that take us near the Hidden Leaf village Temari. It seems like someone's got themselves a crush!"

I turned to glare at Kankuro.

"KANKURO YOU IDIOT! TAKE THAT BACK!"

Taking one look at my stare, and he ran out of there without a second thought.

"YEAH YOU BETTER RUN!"

Taking one last look at the village that seemed to house my very first crush, I sighed in contentment, before taking off towards Kankuro yelling threats about what I would do to the boy when I finally caught up with him. But all the while, a certain nagging sensation went through my body as I left Konoha… Not because I still hadn't figured out why I was always coming back, but this time because I didn't know if I would see this special man again, even if I did come back to Konoha.

Looking up at the sky above me, I smiled upon seeing the fluffy white clouds above.

Yes. I would see Shikamaru again… I just knew that I would see that lazy, sexist, extremely intelligent man again someday, but for now I could wait. For now, I was going to focus on my brothers, and jump on any mission that took me towards the Hidden Leaf village. But right now, I was going to beat Kankuro's ass.

**So… How was it? I know it's not my normal style. Not really Romance as it is more of Friendship, so I decided to put it under both, hoping that you could help me decide which it really is? Because well… She seems more like friends with him, but we all know it's cause she likes the boy that she comes to Konoha all the time… (well, in my story that is)… **

**But ANYWAYS! I HOPE you liked it! If you did, well YAY! Leave me a review! Pretty please! And if you didn't? well… just STAY AWAY FROM THE PRETTY BUTTON THAT MAKES AKIRA HAPPY, GOT IT! Teehee… Sorry! I just don't take criticism well… I mean, I take it terribly! It makes me so damn depressed I can rarely even write, so please don't do that to me! Pretty please! **

**However… I have a question for you.**

**I would like to write another Naruto story… I don't care if it's a oneshot like this, or something more. I just want to write a story for either Temari/Shikamaru, Tenten/Neji, or Gaara/Hinata, seeing as they are my favorite couples… yes… I realize that none of them actually become couples, but it's called fanfiction for a reason, right? RIGHT? **

**If you have ANY ideas, or want to see one of them, PLEASE tell me and I will get right on it! I'll even dedicate the entire story to you! So, if you want me to write a Naruto story, give me the characters you want included, the plot (if you have one in mind), and if you want a cannon character to be with one of the characters (main or side-story), give me the name, age, description, and anything else you think I might need to know… **

**Thanks a million all! **

**And again, I am immensely sorry I can't finish my Ouran or HP fanfiction right now! I'm just stuck and have NO idea what to write! It's a sad, sad day in Akira world… :( **

**Thanks again! **

**~Akira Darely**


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